Timing of The Greenbrier has been an issue for some players since it falls across the week of July 4thGETTY IMAGES
The PGA Tour returns to The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia next week, and while fans are "normally buzzing" about the field, this year they have been "left scratching their heads wondering why so few of the top names in the world have not committed to play as in years past," according to Rusty Udy of the Beckley REGISTER-HERALD. The timing of the tournament has "been an issue for some players since it falls across the week of the Fourth of July." Many players "go overseas to play in tournaments like the Scottish Open and the Irish Open which fall two weeks prior to the Open Championship." To combat that over the years, the "majority of the emphasis" has been to get the top American players to The Greenbrier. But that has "not been successful of late." Tournament Dir Habibi Mamone said, "What is really drawing the big names is the family-oriented atmosphere that we create." But Udy noted that is "not having the kind of results that bring the top players in the game to West Virginia consistently." As of June 18, seven players inside the top 30 of the FedExCup standings "had committed to play this year." The most "puzzling name not on the commit list is Phil Mickelson." In the latter part of '16, Mickelson was "named The Greenbrier’s Tour Ambassador." He "may still play, but one has to wonder why he is not already on the list." Unless the casual fan sees names like Tiger Woods and Jason Day -- along with Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas -- attendance is "going to suffer" (Beckley REGISTER-HERALD, 6/24).
